Hair curler and applicator therefor



1955 H. J. BURTNETT HAIR CURLER AND APFLICATOR THEREFOR Filed Feb. 28, 1955 I'll/II.

I I 1 I I I W I I I I 1 l 1 n n I .1

l a r u m H United States Patent M HAIR CURLER AND APPLICATOR THEREFOR Harry J. Burtnett, Charleston, W. Va. Application February 28, 1955, Serial No. 490,834 7 Claims. (Cl. 132-43 This invention relates to a novel hair curler and to a novel holder for holding and applying the hair curler to the hair and by means of which the operation of putting up the hair in curlers can be greatly facilitated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair curler and applicator or holder by means of which the curler can be held in an open position while the hair to be engaged thereby is properly positioned relative thereto and after which by a simple manipulation of the holder, the hair curler is permitted to roll up to a closed position with the hair contained in the roll thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a hair curler and holder which is so constructed that a view of the open curler and hair applied thereto will not be obstructed by the holder and by the hand utilized to support the holder and open curler.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hair curler requiring no clamps or fastenings to hold the hair curler in a closed position and which will automatically assume a closed position when released from an extended position.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawing, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the hair curler held in an open position by the holder or applicator with the hair to be curled thereby applied to the curler;

Figure 2 is a plan view partly in section and partly broken away of the hair curler shown in an extended position;

Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 33 of Fig ure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4- 4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is a longitudinal fragmentary sectional view showing the hair curler partially rolled;

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6-6 of Figure 2, and

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view, taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 7-7 of Figure 1.

Referring more specifically to the drawing, the hair curler and applicator in its entirety and comprising the invention is designated generally 10 and includes a hair curler, designated generally 11. The hair curler 11 is preferably formed of an elongated strip of relatively wide rubber 12 in which a plurality of spring strips 13 are embedded. The spring strips 13 extend longitudinally of the rubber piece 12 and to adjacent the ends thereof, and are transversely spaced relative to one another. The springs 13 constitute normally coil springs and consequently tend to cause the hair curler to assume a coil, as indicated at the left of Figure 5. The ends of the rubber piece or strip 12, beyond the ends of the springs 13, termi- 2,720,207 Patented oct. 11, 1955 2 nate in sleeves 14 and 15 which extend from side to side of the hair curler 11 and which define the ends thereof. The sleeve 14 is provided with a bore 16 of noncircular cross section which extends longitudinally therethrough and the sleeve 15 has a bore 17 of circular cross section and which extends longitudinally therethrough.

A holder or applicator, designated generally 18 and comprising a part of the invention, is formed from a single strand of relatively resilient wire which is bent back upon itself intermediate of its ends to provide legs, designated generally 19 and 20. Said legs 19 and 20 cross one another adjacent the bend or bight portion 21 of the strand forming the holder 18. The crossed portions 22 and 23 of the legs 19 and 20 are provided on adjacent sides thereof with teeth or serrations 24 which are disposed to intermesh or interfit, when the free end portions of the legs 19 and 20 are spaced a substantial distance apart for releasably latching said legs in spread positions. The legs 19 and 20 at their free ends are provided with laterally turned terminal portions 25 and 26, respectively, which extend in the same direction from the planes of said legs and which are disposed at substantially right angles thereto and substantially parallel to one another. The leg terminal or stem 25 is of noncircular cross section and is of a proper cross sectional size and shape to detachably and nonturnably engage in the bore 16. The other leg end or shaft 26 is of circular cross section and of a proper size to detachably and rotatably engage in the bore 17.

The hair curler and applicator 10 also includes a plurality of spring clips each formed from an. elongated relatively narrow strip of spring metal or a strand of wire and each designated generally 27. Each spring clip 27 includes an openloop portion 28, formed by the intermediate part of the strip or strand, and a pair of corresponding substantially parallel legs 29 and 30 which are normally spring biased into abutting engagement with one another and which are substantially flat and straight from end-toend thereof. Thus, each clip 27 difiers only from a conventional bobby pin in that neither of the legs 29 or 30 thereof is of undulating construction.

To utilize the hair curler and applicator 10, assuming that the free ends of the legs 19 and 20 of the holder 18 are disposed relatively close to one another, the stem 25 is first entered through an end of the bore 16 after which the shaft 26 is entered through the corresponding end of the bore 17. The stem 25 and shaft portion 26 are then advanced substantially through the bores 16 and 17. Pressure is then applied with the thumb and fingers to the portions 31 and 32 of the legs 19 and 20, respectively, which are disposed between the bight portion 21 and the crossed portions of said legs. Pressure is applied to the leg portions 31 and 32 so that the crossed portions of the legs will be slightly spaced from one another as the legs are spread apart at their free ends. It will be apparent that this spreading of the free ends of the legs 19 and 20 will cause the stem portion 25 and shaft portion 26 to move away from one another and as these parts are engaging the ends 14 and 15, respectively, of the curler 11, said curler will be moved to an extended open position in this manner and as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. As the stem portion 25 and the shaft portion 26 move away from one another, the curler end 15 will rotate on the shaft portion 26 as the curler 11 is unwound and extended. When the curler 11 has reached a fully extended position, the leg portions 22 and 23 are displaced toward one another to cause an intermeshing engagement of the teeth 24 thereof for locking the holder 18 in its extended position of Figure 1 to hold the hair curler 11 extended.

The hair curler can then be placed against a part of the head, as illustrated in Figure 1, by manipulation of the hand gripping the holder 18 and with a part of the hair H overlying the hair curler 11. The hair curler 11 is disposed so that the end 14 thereof is nearest the scalp or roots of the hair H which is to be wound on and'in the curler 11. One of the spring clips 27 is then applied crosswise oyerth'e curler 11,1 near its end 14 andv with the legs. 29Jand 30 thereof spread, sothatthe leg 29 will overlie the hair H which is disposed againstthe inner or upper side of the curlerll. After the clip 27 is in the position of the uppermost clip. of Figure 1 and in gripping engagernent with the hair and rubber strip 12, said clip is slid downwardly toward the curler end 15, to approximately the position of the bottom clip 27 of Figure l, for engaging the longest str'andsjof the hair H. The other clips 27 are then applied'in'the same manner and successively positionedabove .thelowermostclip; 27 and so as to hold all the strands of hair ofdiflerent lengths against the curler 11.

The fingers of, the hand gripping the holder 18 are then manipulated to, displace the'leg' portions 22 and 23 away from one another to disengage the teeth thereof, after which the free end of the leg 20 is allowed to move with itsshank portion 26.,toward the free end of the leg 19 and the stein portion 25 thereof. During this movement, the sleeve 15 will rotate on the shaft 26 to permit the springs 13 to coil or wind the curler 11 from its end 15, as illustrated. in Figure 5, until the. coiled hair curler portion 33 reaches the curler end 14. The leg 19 and its stem 25 are held immovably relatively to the head during this operation, and as the stem 25 nonrotatably engages the sleeve 14, the, possibility of the curler 11 rolling up from its end 14 is eliminated. After the hair curler 11 has been completely rolled and is located adjacent the end 14 of theeu'rler astseen in, Figure 1', the stem 25'and shaft 26 are slidably removed from the bores 16 and 17, respectively,'leaving the wound curler 11 supported by the hair H.

The spring clips 27 can then be removed, as said spring clips are utilized only to hold the hair properly positioned relative to the curler 11 While applying the curler,

as, previously described.

7 The operation-just previously described can then be repeated with other curlers 11 as many times as is necessary to complete the puttingup of the hair in curlers. It will be apparent that the use of the spring clips 27 may be dispensed with if desired or under circumstances where their use is not required. U

It will be readily'apparent that the, strip or piece 12 of the curler 11 may be formed of other suitable materials than rubber, and it will also be apparent that the structure of the holder 18 may be varied.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and'may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. Anapparatus' 'ofthe character described comprising a hair curler and a hair curler holder, said hair curler comprising a relatively wide coiled strip, transversely extending sleeve portions constituting the ends of said strip; said holder including a pair of legs having free ends provided with terminal portions, said terminal portions being disposed substantially parallel to one another and detachably engaging in said sleeve portions, and said le'gs being manually displaceable away from one another for uncoiling and extending the hair curler for supporting the hair curler in an uncoiled extended position whilethe hair is applied thereto, said holder being releasable to permit the hair curler to resume a coiled position with the hair Wound therein.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1, said holder being provided with means for latching the legs with the free ends thereof in an extended position relative to one another for supporting the hair curler in an extended substantially fiat condition, the free ends of said legs and said terminal portions being yieldably urged toward one another by the resiliencyof said hair curler. e

3. An apparatus as in claim 1, one of's aid terminal portionsconstituting astem of noncircular cross section, one of said sleeve portions having a bore of noncircular cross section non-turnably receiving said stem, and said other terminal portion being journaled in the other sleeve portion whereby the hair curler will roll up from the end defined by said last mentioned sleeve portion when the holder is released.

An apparatus as in claim 1, and a plurality of spring clips having legs spring biased toward one another, said spring clips straddling the hair curler and the hair disposed. thereon and extendin g transversely of the hair curler formai nt aining the hair properly positioned relatively to the curler before the hair is rolled within the curler.

' SfAnapparatuS as in claim 1, said holder being formed from a single strand of wire bent upon itself to form said legs, and said legs being disposed in crossed relation to one'another, the, free ends of said legs being spring biased toward one another. I

"6. An apparatus as in claim 5, and said legs having interengag'ing toothed portions disposed to be interengaged when the freeends' of said legs are spread relative to onea'nother for latching the holder in a position for maintaining the hair curler in an extended uncoiled condition.

7. In 'an apparatus asin claim 6, said terminal portions being disposed at substantially right angles to the legs.

No references cited. 

